Shukokai Karate

Hello there, I've been recently looking for gyms around the Birmingham area to train in while I work away through the week. I did manage to find a place which may be close to where I may be staying. They teach the style of Shukokai Karate,. I've done a bit of research into it and it seems a fairly good style. I'm just wondering if there's anyone on this site with any experience in this style or got any extended knowledge on it.

I hear the style is full contact and is known for having fairly powerful strikes. I've looked up a few things about it but guess it doesn't hurt to ask around, specially on a martial arts site such as this, to see if anyone has had first hand experience and whether or not it's a good style.

Being new to Karate (had my fourth lesson yesterday in Shindokai (limited to one lesson a week due to work)) I'm not the best person to judge a style. So any information you guys and gals to give me would be great :)

I used to train in a judo club that shared space with a Shukokai club. From what I remember they were a very kata-focused, they didn't do a huge amount of sparring, and when they did, it was fairly standard point/touch karate kumete, not knock-down style sparring.

Of course that could just be that club in particular. I don't know what the style as a whole is like.

Cause I fancy doing Karate. Suppose I could cross train and I've done Muay Thai before but I train for fun these days and the style I do at my home town on the weekend with my niece and Girlfriend is Karate, so rather keep to the same style if I can help it. Even if it's a different style of karate. I imagine they'll compliment one another. If I start up Muay Thai again, I'll start getting into the habit of using Thai moves in Karate out of instinct.

I would like to do full contact if I can help it though. Cause, probably due to my past experience in training Thai boxing, I'm not used to really pulling punches. From what I've seen from the style I've currently started up back in Barnsley, the sparring is pretty alive and from what I've heard the gym doesn't do much in the way of Kata's and such and more padwork and sparring. So hoping to find a gym with that kind of mentality.

Sadly none of those gyms are nearby. The closest one is in York which isn't that far off my home town of Barnsley. However, as said, I go with my niece and girlfriend to the more local gym on the weekend and I'm in Birmingham through the week so can't see it.

Struggled to find a Kykushin gym in Birmingham too and trust me I've looked and can't wait for the job to move to an area where there's a Kyokushin gym nearby.

I'm not stating that Muay Thai isn't fun. Just, stating that I am training for fun and I enjoy Karate rather than training to be a full on fighter. Usually if you state you are training seriously and you don't mention you're training Muay Thai. You get nothing but jip about how Muay Thai is the best and you're an idiot for not training it... Though I'm not doubting the usefulness of Muay Thai and it's practicality. I just want to train Karate cause I really enjoy Karate.

I'm not stating that Muay Thai isn't fun. Just, stating that I am training for fun and I enjoy Karate rather than training to be a full on fighter. Usually if you state you are training seriously and you don't mention you're training Muay Thai. You get nothing but jip about how Muay Thai is the best and you're an idiot for not training it... Though I'm not doubting the usefulness of Muay Thai and it's practicality. I just want to train Karate cause I really enjoy Karate.

You sure I wasn't just pulling your leg with my previous post?

Well okay.........................................as long as you're sure.

Well okay.........................................as long as you're sure.

Can never be too sure. Mayhaps I'm in a defensive mode about it. The amount of times I see people get called idiots for training in anything but MT, gets a bit annoying. Sometimes feel like you have to justify yourself for training anything but...

Guess I missed the sarcasm... Though guess the whole Muy Thai thing should have gave it away :P